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Ryan Fischer was not born in America! Actually, he was born in the Ruhr Valley area. He doesn't tend to specify more than that. It might explain his family's love of machines and other whizbang gadgets. They originally started out as craftspeople (Mostly fishermen, sailors and their ilk). They immigrated to America when Ryan was very young after receiving job offers from a family friend in Chicago who needed help at the plant. And why not? They were German Catholics who didn't mind Jews at all really. Ryan's family even had relatively good relationships with some of their Jewish neighbors (Fish!). This probably meant they didn't exactly feel the love and enthusiasm when the Nationalist Party rolled around. It's really a source of conflict and confusion for poor Ryan.

While it boggled his family Ryan chose to work at engineering and join the Marines when the war rolled around, they were accepting. After all, America's been good to them. They earned their citizenship and hold it dearly. The corporal struggles to hide his German accent though. It rarely works for him.

In terms of personal life, Ryan does have a fiance who seems to have a penchant for periodic violence usually involving a baseball bat. He's got something of a neurotic, fretting worrywort type personality. It's likely brought on by his confusion and being nudged gently into leadership by virtue of being slightly older and managing to survive despite toting about a flamethrower. … said flamethrower may also be leading into his faint neurosis because really, it's dangerous and just an awful way to kill someone. He's far from a broken soul just yet, having a grim and somewhat self depreciating sense of humor. He is friendly and tends to prefer a thoughtful, steady type of leadership. Most importantly he /listens/.

… even if he's oblivious enough for sea life to walk over him without noticing and to be decorated with profane graffiti and fruit hats while he sleeps.

But everyone grows up and changes. The war took its toll on Ryan. His bat wielding fiance left him in a Dear John letter. Stress from using a flamethrower in combat ate at him a little. But he survived to go onto to be poached into one of the new units in Iwo Jima as a Sergeant. Fischer himself never really earned many medals, but he was noted for being a patient, thoughtful leader who had many win medals under him. His squad held out fairly well given the carnage around them. He was a sturdy, experienced presence in battle though his German accent made life a bit difficult at times and he was never able to shake the nicknames Jerry or Fritz. He /really/ didn't like 'the Kraut'.

Somehow, Fish survived Iwo Jima (Though not without another dent or two) and retired from the military soon as he was able. He ended up having three Feesh Fry with Annabelle (Margaret, Benjamin and Elisabeth!) and became a patient, adoring father (If a bit protective). He was glad to settle in Australia and for the summer visits to his family (American winters). His family felt it all a bit odd, but accepted it. They were glad to have grandchildren and that Fish came back in one piece.

Fish ended up teaching at a technical school, training engineers. He never really spoke of his service in WWII unless asked directly. Happily, he lived a pretty long time with Annabelle and seemed a much happier fellow for it.